


The Cupcake

by JayceCarter



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Birthday, F/M, Fluff, Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-25 18:29:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15646455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayceCarter/pseuds/JayceCarter
Summary: Shepard wants her birthday to pass without anyone noticing, but Thane doesn't plan on letting that happen.





	The Cupcake

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MosaicCreme](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MosaicCreme/gifts).



> Happy Birthday to my dear friend, MosaicCreme!! Hope you've had a wonderful day!! It's not your birthday where you are anymore, but it still is here, so I'm counting it!
> 
> <3

  


The silence of Jane's cabin eased her most days, but that wasn't most days. Instead, the walls closed in on her, reminding her of time passing, of the empty chairs, of the uncertain future, of another year gone and her no closer to fixing it all.

The year before, or at least the year before she had died, she'd spent her birthday with Wrex. He’d taken her to the shooting range on the Citadel, after which they'd eaten at a restaurant they'd quickly gotten kicked out of. It seemed neither had the proper attire, language, or manners.

But that had been before. Before things changed, before so much had slipped away.

So she had told no one the importance of the day. Only Dr. Chakwas knew, and a sharp look from Jane had ensured her silence.

The soft chime from the door had Jane telling EDI to let them in.

Only one person came to her quarters, only one person treated her like a person. The rest of them were like family to her, but there had always been a distance.

Sure enough, Thane walked in, a small package in his hand, a bow on the top.

“Get that out of here.” Jane jabbed a finger at the gift.

His steps didn't slow as he entered and set the package down on her table. “Did I wrap it incorrectly? I researched for traditional human gifting and thought I'd gotten close, at least.”

“It’s plenty close, but we aren't talking about birthdays.”

He took a seat beside her. “We aren't? Is this a custom I am unaware of?”

“It’s called not celebrating when you're in the middle of battle and half your fucking crew is missing.”

“Ah, that.”

She sighed, then rubbed her fingers against her eyes. “Yeah, that.”

“Is that why you told no one of today? Because we have thus far celebrated the important days of all the crew. I fear the galley will never be quite the same after Grunt’s 'quad dropping party,' as you called it.”

Jane couldn't stop the smile as she recalled the festive event she had put on after they put down the thresher maw, when even Wrex had come up to the Normandy to join in. They’d needed that, the moment of fun when life was anything but. Garrus had sparred with Wrex, Grunt had drunk with Jack, and the entire crew had relaxed for just a moment in the chaos.

“That was different. We weren't where we are now.”

His head tilted. “Were we not? It seems we were in danger then, mourning the death of those we knew, just like now.”

“You don’t get it. Grunt deserved that, he needed that.”

“So you believe Grunt deserved a break, a chance at fun, but you do not?”

Jane shook her head. “You don’t understand.”

“Clearly. Though, I am starting to suspect you may not understand, either.”

Jane rose to her feet to pace the length of the aquarium. “They’re gone, Thane. All those people, they trusted me to keep them safe. They signed up on the Normandy because of me, because of my name, because they thought I could do something they wanted to be a part of. Now they're gone, and it's my fault.”

“And?”

“And I failed. They’re gone, and I’m still here. It’s like that all the time. I keep surviving, keep adding up the glory, the praise, but those around me die. There are more important things to worry about than a birthday, Thane, especially mine.”

He didn’t rise from the seat, his hands folded together as he watched her. He never failed to unnerve her when he did that.

She had to remember that beneath the man she knew, the one she’d fallen for, he’d been a feared assassin for good reason. He could read targets, could outsmart them, could catch every tiny tell they had. When he studied her with that single-minded focus, she felt stripped bare, like he crawled through her head and saw everything she tried to hide.

“Have you ever noticed how the krogan do not value time the way the salarians do?”

Jane frowned at the change in topic. “What?”

“Krogan do not rush. They waste time, they forget time. They rarely celebrate anniversaries of important events because they do not value it as they have too much of it. Salarians, however, live much shorter lives. They fill those moments with things they value. Perhaps it is not as much revelry, but not a moment of it drifts past them unnoticed into the abyss.”

“Exactly. Time is short, and I don’t want to waste it on stupid parties.”

He shook his head, a slow motion as he closed his eyes. “You misunderstand, siha. Sitting in a room alone is wasting it. I have less time left than a salarian, so I believe I have a great appreciation for time, for the value of it, the worth of it. It is a limited commodity at the best of times, and as you have pointed out, we are not in the best of times. It means we must take the moments and not let them pass.”

“How can I sit here and celebrate when so much is uncertain?”

Thane stood this time, sliding his arm behind her to pull her against him. “Because it is a reminder of what we are fighting to protect. If we fail to remember that, if we fail to hold tight to those good things in our lives, the things worth celebrating, then we have already lost. It won’t matter what the Reapers do, the important part of us will have already died.”

Jane wanted to argue, but the honesty in his face stopped her. While she’d have cursed more, yelled more, would she not have said the same thing to Garrus had he been trying to sulk through his birthday?

“Alright, you win.” She rose to her tiptoes to offer a kiss.

“I usually do,” he said, lips pulled into a grin before he led her back to the couch in front of the gift. “Now, you must open your gift.”

Jane laughed as she opened the box, the lid sliding off to reveal a cupcake inside. “Did Gardner make this before…” The reminder stole some of her humor.

“No. It took me a very long time to find the proper ingredients for a traditional birthday treat. Human cooking is strange.”

“You’re telling me you made this?” She took the cupcake out of the box, lifting it so she could see it in the light.

“I did. It seems birthdays are not official without some sort of confection. Usually, it appears to be set on fire, but EDI threaten to turn on the fire suppression systems should I attempt it. I thought even an unburned pastry would serve the function.”

Jane peeled off the paper wrapped, smiling at the idea of Thane in the galley attempting to make the cupcake, likely arguing with EDI over the candles and directions. He tended to like the AI, but didn’t always care to be told how to do things. It was a reminder of all the things outside their mission, all the things that still brought a smile to her face.

“Thank you, Thane. You were right; this was important.”

“I am glad you have come to your senses and agreed because I have already assembled all the crew on level two to celebrate.”

She groaned then shoved his chest. “You’re far too tricky for your own good. How did you even find out?”

“Wrex sent me word. He said you would likely ignore such an occasion, and that your birth was a thing to be celebrated.”

“I doubt he said it like that.”

“True, siha. His version was much more colorful and full of errors. Still, the sentiment was the same. You have friends to whom you matter, who would want to celebrate such a thing with you. We could all use it, to be honest. The fact you would think anyone would allow it to pass without notice was short-sighted. Now, eat your cupcake. You have people waiting.”

She grinned before taking a bite of it. She chewed slowly as the texture struck her, then spat the cupcake into her palm. It was somehow burnt, raw, and filled with crunchy bits she felt sure were not supposed to be in cupcakes. “This is terrible, Thane.”

“I suppose baking may not be a skill I have yet perfected.  I do believe I read somewhere that it is the thought that counts, however?”

“The thought and not getting food poisoning. That second one is sort of important.” She threw the cupcake and the spat out bits into the trash, then rinsed her mouth and hands in the sink. “It’s crunchy. Why is it crunchy?”

“Of course it’s crunchy. I suspect that’s the bones.”

“Bones? Why are there bones in cupcakes?”

“I thought it odd as well, but the recipe was quite clear.”

“Who gave you that recipe?”

“Wrex. He supplied the recipe and said it was his own special gift to-” Thane paused, lips pressing together for a moment before lifting into a half-smile. “He tricked me, didn’t he?”

Jane dried her hands before returning to Thane. “I think he got us both. The stubborn asshole wouldn’t let us all celebrate without making damn sure we thought about him. I guess bones in a cupcake was less destructive than other things he could have tried. I know I don’t say it enough, but thank you; for not listening to me, for making me do things even when I don’t want to, for not turning tail when I start having tantrums.” She trailed her fingers up his stomach and his chest, walking them slowly.

“What are you doing?”

She continued the teasing, her fingers stroking over the exposed skin of his chest. “Well, you were the one who made a big deal about how birthdays are to be celebrated, weren’t you? Maybe I want a present.”

“I’m afraid we do not have time. Everyone is waiting, and I did make you a cupcake.”

“A cupcake with bones. It doesn’t count.” She unhooked the latches to his coat.

“Siha,” he said on a soft moan when she pressed her lips to his throat. The name came out like a plea.

“You are a terrible baker, but I know for a fact you have a few other skills I can make use of. Why don’t you make it up to me, hmm?”

His chest vibrated with a low growl when lips found his frills before he grasped her thighs and lifted her against him, then carried her toward the bed.

Jane wrapped her arms around him and laughed at the sudden movement, at his impatience. “Wait, I thought you said we had people waiting. You said we didn’t have time.”

He laid her on the bed before sliding over her. “Your birthday is an important date to me. Without it, I’d not be here, I’d not have you. If anyone should be allowed to savor it, it should be me.” His lips brushed hers, a teasing touch that had her ready to forget the rest of the festivities if it meant she could stay in that bed with him. “So let them wait, siha, while we celebrate.”

  



End file.
